Nordic cold war cultures : ideological promotion, public reception, and east-west interactions

Nordic Cold War Cultures explores representations of the cultural Cold War in the five Nordic countries. Taking into account various political contexts, the ten contributions – written by Nordic scholars – analyze the interaction between Nordic actors and the two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union through propaganda, cultural diplomacy, media narratives, civil defense programs, the role of intellectuals, and the politics of memory. The volume adds a depth to a narrative otherwise dominated by political and diplomatic approaches and creates insights into the cultural experiences of each Nordic country. It demonstrates how a combination of cultural and political approaches can help explain symbolic interactions and hierarchical relationships as well as elite and public perceptions of – and attitudes towards – the Cold War as an ideological struggle. Contributors: Helge Danielsen, Martin Alm, Stian Bones, Marie Cronqvist, Guðni Jóhannesson, Simo Mikkonen, Kirsi Ahonen, Skafti Ingimarsson, Jón Ólafsson, Rosanna Farbøl, Thorsten Borring Olesen.